Improvement in anti-friction bearings of water-wheels



nection with horizontal shafting, upon which there may be, besides andindependent of the ordinary y v caseof prop eller-shafts in vesselsmoved byscrews.

\ consists in placing above the wheel an apparatus the constructionthereof being such as to reduce shaft, and suitable pro\v-isions forlubrication, as

hereinafter more fully described and as illustrated y by the drawing.

BRADFORD STEFSON, OF UXBBIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ANTI-'FRICTION BEARINGS OF WATER-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 119,424, datedSeptember 26, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRADFORD S'rErsoN, of Uxbridge, in the county ofWorcester and State ofMassachusetts, have, as Ibelieve, invented new anduseful Improvements in Anti-Friction Bear-y ings for Water-VVheels andother heavy rotating machines; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to thedrawing` that accompanies and forms a part of this speciication.

I denominate the invention anti-friction thrustbearings. The object ofmyinvention is to provide a device for hanging water-Wheels in a mannerthat will dispense with the step beneath, and thus avoid the unduefriction occasioned by sand and dirt in the passing water; and,moreover, to open up a more free passage for the water after it hasbeendischarged from the wheel; and, further, to provide against the greatfriction in conbearings `rendered necessary byspeciflc gravity, muchlongitudinal strain or pressure, as 1n the My invention, in itsapplication to water-wheels,

to sustain it and allow it free horizontal rotation,

friction to the minimum, and to secure ready adjustment of both wheeland its perpendicular In the drawing, the second sheet, Fig. 4, willexhibit my device applied to a horizontal screwpropeller shaft 5 Figurel, side elevation of a Water-wheel curb and my apparatus for supportingthe wheel in its normal position upon the top of said curb; Fig. 2, planof the parts on which the wheel is suspended, instead of the stepbeneath Fig. 3, sectional view of the parts embraced in my device cut online m as; Fig. 4, my device applied to a propeller-shaft.

"a represents the curb surrounding the wheel, which rotates Within B,the shaft to which the wheel is attached 5 a pedestal resting upon thecurb A, being provided at its upper portion with a wide flange, whoseupper face is in the central portion; horizontal and around thisasloping surface, as illustrated in Fig. 3, there being in the center anopening just sufficient to receive the shaft B and allow it to turneasily therein. This pedestal C or base upon Whichmy anti-frictionbearing is supported should have suitable fastenings and attachments tothe curb A. D, the

upper central horizontal surface of the pedestal C; E, the slopingsurface surrounding the above F, a sheath-truck, whose position isillustrated by Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing 5 g, an annular groove inthe upper surface of F; lL, pins, three in numupon which theycontinually roll when the apparatus is in use 5 K, an annularplane-sided frame or shield arranged as exhibited in Figs. 2 and 3; l, ascrew,with threads upon that part which passes through the walls ofshield K; m, a portion of l, which is of plain spindle form; n, aset-nut to keep the screw l from turning; o, a hole drilled in thelarger end of the wheels J, receiving the spindle m; p, a hole drilledin the smaller end of the said wheels J sufficient to receive the pinsh,- s, a cap embracing the shaft B and resting upon the wheels J, (seeFig. 3;) t, a set-screw, fastening firmly the said cap s to thewheel-shaft B; u, anopening down through the cap s, leading to thegroove g,- V, propeller-shaft. The under surface of cap S is made tocorrespond to the conical form of the wheels J. (See Fig. 3.) As thewheelis suspended to the shaft B, its whole weight will rest on thewheels J, which is as intended, the thickness of the truck F beinggauged accordingly. The openings o and p Will allow the wheels J torotate freely upon the spindles m and pins h.

In operation, the parts being in position as illustrated and described,the water being turned on, the Wheel rotates, and with it the shaft Band the cap s, the pedestal O remaining stationary, being rmly fixed tothe curb A. As the motions above described take place, the cap s,resting with all the weight of the Water-wheel and shaft upon the WheelsJ, will cause them to roll upon the surface E, and they will carry alongthe shieldK and truck F, the said wheels turning or rotating on spindlesm and pins h. The truck F, being such in thickness as not to receive theweight of the suspended wheel, and the wheels J required simply to rollupon a plane surface, the friction will be rendered very slight andthedevice be properly denominated an anti-friction bearing. The cone-shapeof the wheels J provides for adjustment through the screws I., so as tomake the bearing equal on all the said wheels. Oil poured into thechannel u will find its way into the grooves g, lubricating all theparts in proximity, and some of it passing through the openings i intothe tubular pins h will find its way into the space in the wheels J, inwhich run the spindles m and pins h, and supply all needed lubricationthere.

I make no claim to any part or any combination or arrangement of partsshown in United States Patent No. 12,097 but What I do claim, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The friction-roller, inner-support ring F, as

provided with the friction-roller pivots or journals h, the annulargroove g, and the passagesi leading from said groove into and throughthe pivots or journals h.

2. In combination with the inner-support ring F,the oil-groove g, ductsi, and pivots h, the outer ring K and its series of screw-pivots andclampnuts, all arranged and operatin g as set forth, with thefriction-rollers J arranged between the rings K F and employed tosupport a water-wheel or other shaft,- as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

BRADFORD STETSON.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. HoBBs,

HANNIBAL WHITMORE. (118)

